Lubbock native waits out Hurricane Sandy

LUBBOCK, TX (KCBD) -

As emergency crews continue to evaluate the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy the death toll rises to more than 70 people nationwide. Lubbock native Rohit Mittal is a currently a New York University student, and he saw firsthand the devastation and destruction left by the violent storm.

"We saw roofs off, windows broken, signs floating around, and even still today I went outside and there are still no street lights on. It's like every man for himself in the streets, and out of my window I saw two cars almost collide into each other," Mittal said.

On Sunday NYU began warning their students to start preparing for the worst as Sandy savagely swept through the East Coast. "In Lubbock we have all those winds and dust storms, but it was nothing like this. I was honestly scared for my life," Mittal said about the storm hitting campus. "I just had my cell phone next me and my flashlight. I just saw trees waving in front of me all night and I was just hoping this tree doesn't come down on my dorm."

As the city remained dark, Rohit's dorm was one of the only ones to stay lit as a back-up generator kicked in. "We were even helping people out in the local community. They were coming into the dorm to charge laptops, charge phones, to use our bathrooms and take showers if they wanted," he said.

It's like nothing he has ever seen before as families lost everything. A vibrant city came to a screeching halt, but through the terrifying experience Mittal says he is now counting his blessings. "I am honestly thankful to be alive right now…it's just this feeling I have inside of me that it is good to be alive," Mittal said.

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